


I'm not fat

by fadedlikethelilac, TheVoltSiren



Series: Our corner of crack ships and HELL (RP fiction) [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Eggs, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mech Preg (Transformers), Miscommunication, Past Character Death, Slow Burn, Transformer Sparklings, barbarian au, no actual incest, tribal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:55:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24605032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedlikethelilac/pseuds/fadedlikethelilac, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheVoltSiren/pseuds/TheVoltSiren
Summary: The flocks of Vos are gone. His bondmates dead. The only thing Starscream has left are the eggs he carries.Now on top of everything else, Starscream has to fend of the advances of some grounder who's decided he wants Starscream to be his bondmate.
Relationships: Megatron/Starscream (Transformers), past skywarp/starscream/thundercracker
Series: Our corner of crack ships and HELL (RP fiction) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1778689
Comments: 23
Kudos: 174





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is actually from a RP between Fadedlikethelilac and TheVoltSiren.  
> I have edited it a bit to make it fit as prose, however you are still going to encounter traditional RP things such as switching POVs and frantic retconning of vital plot points. 
> 
> ~ fadedlikethelilac

Starscream felt his systems come online. They were slow to start, each program slowly booting up one at a time, but they did come online. After that last crash he hadn’t expected to ever wake again. 

His tactile network came online, and he could feel the soft mesh coverings below him and the lack of the strong hunger pains in his tanks. Was this actually the well? 

Finally his optics came online and Starscream took in his surroundings. It had to be someone's home, and he was certainly on someone’s berth. He sat up, still sluggish but wings hiking up higher with his alertness.

He felt the ripple of relief in another field, and his attention snapped to the other mech in the room.  _ No _ . This was a tent. 

The mech was a large heavy set grounder, the grounder came to sit beside him on the berth. He said something, but it wasn’t a language starscream recognised. His processor pinged a request to start his translation protocols.

Starscream shifted away fast, scrambling to his feet and flaring his wings to make himself look bigger. 

Threat. Nest. He had to stop himself from calling out for his action and order. They were gone and Starscream would have to defend himself. Not like he wouldn't have anyways.

"Where am I?" He hissed. 

The grounder reacted fast, grabbing the seeker firmly by the arm. He spoke again, his voice soothing at odds with his actions. His field at least was calm aside from the briefest flare of panic when starscream had moved.

Starscream's field became more hostile, and without thought, pulled his own arm up and gave the mech a bite on his wrist. Satisfied, but still trapped, he hissed again, leaning back, trying to be away. 

"Let me go," he growled.

The mech said something, probably a denial since he didn’t let starscream go. Starscream processor was already working on a translation program but it would take time.

"No, you will let me go," Starscream growled, plating ruffled. He did what he could to try and make the mech let him go; claws swiping towards the bot, biting at unprotecting limbs and being a complete fury of anger.

He couldn't help it. His carrier coding running wild with ideas of harm coming upon himself and thus, his eggs.

Quickly, the seeker was slowing, eventually sinking onto his knees as his frame had given him an alert that he was barely in any condition to make such a furious protest of his entrapment. Starscream, half laid on the furs, venting hard with soft curses as he glared at the grounder.

The grounder seemed to relax as Starscream settled back on the furs. He let him go, but stayed between starscream and the exit though. "You" The translation program had already picked up on the word, but starscream had no idea what the rest of the statement had been.

Starscream retracted back, still pushing out his plating and wings to see big despite laying on the ground now. 

"It isn't your business ground-kisser," he spat back, engine rumbling loudly

The grounder said something else but at least he stayed where he was rather than approaching again.

Starscream snorted. This mech was not his trine, not even his flock or species. But this tent might — if he could believe that the mech wasn’t going to hurt it — provide him just enough time to get well and gestate safely. 

He laid on his front, protective of the Sparks in his chamber, growing restless to drop into their eggs.

Nest. Need nest. His coding surged, the seeker pulling more of the fur towards himself, already making a mound. He had a bit more time till the Sparks would drop, and then less time before he would be forced to lay them. This tent already felt like a nest. Out of view, private, and maybe protected. Better than the scorched walls of his home. Damn wall-caged mech. 

"This is my tent now," he stated simply, field territorial and threatening all the same

The Mech chuckled shifting close again, taking care though. "Yes, ours." he said simply.

Starscream glared harder at him, wings raised a bit more with a hiss, "Mine," he warned, moving more on his feet, ready to pounce onto the mech, thrusters heating up.

There was a ping from his internal systems, the translation had finished adapting, apparently this grounder’s language was closer to his own than he’d first thought. 

The grounder watched him. "are you familiar with ground tribes?"

Starscream watched for any more advances before most of his aggressive front was calmed to a mildly irritated and territorial field. 

"I don't much care about you dust-encrusted creatures," he spat back, glaring but making himself somewhat comfortable, "You're nothing but a speck to me, that's how far below me you are."

The Mech chuckled. "And yet here you are, in my tent."

Starscream hissed back at him, "Not by choice." 

The mech had no idea how much he wanted to leave, but he hadn't the fuel, ability, or the courage to venture too far without some sort of insurance that his sparklings would be born without complications. Perhaps he had a medic, and much to dismay, it would be a dirt licker. He would control his own aggravation for a chance of medical care for himself and his little ones.

"At this stage that fact is irrelevant."

Starscream snarled back at him, "Don't patronize me"

The mech shrugged, "Are you okay? You were offline for longer than I anticipated."

Starscream's optics narrowed, "I'm fine," he huffed out, laying back on the little mound on the ground. He'd hope soon that he'll have eggs safely resting in the folds. After they hatched, they would easier to carry and escape this grounder camp. 

"What the frag do you want?" he asked.

Megatron smirked slightly. "You."

Starscream frowned, wings vibrating as a threat, "What the frag does that mean?"

"I would have thought it was straight forward. I want you, preferably as my bonded mate."

Starscream looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"

The mech deliberately let his drift over starscream's frame. The strategic reason wasn't one he was ready to present to his prospective mate. "Do I need a reason to want you?"

"Yes, I had reasons for picking my bondeds, and I wouldn't bother with some love struck mech wasting my time." he said, rolling his optics.

"Perhaps, though this love struck mech did manage to..." he paused, realising what had just been said, "You are already bonded?" He did his best to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Outside of all the advantages, the seeker was very attractive as well.

Starscream's field grew hostile, an unbalanced wave of emotions washing over him. He was happily bonded. Was. And now he had lost everything. He hadn't even thought of it till now. He barely had the chance to grieve as his survival had become his priority. A duty to his unborn sparklings. 

"I was," he spat out, turning his helm away, glaring at the tent wall, "You need not to worry, they're dead."

"oh..." grief flooded his field, "I'm sorry for your loss"

Starscream growled at him, glaring hard at the mech, "Stop it, tthey're not yours to grieve over. You can grieve over all the wall-caged mech's, I'll kill them all if I have to."

The grounder pulled his field back though, he still mourned his prospective mates' loss, "wall-caged... You mean the city mechs? I would not mourn their passing."

"Yes, we called them caged," he said, a deep hatred clear as day in his optics, "I'll make their last moments the worst of their lives and leave them for dead."

"I'll help if I can, though I wouldn't recommend a frontal assault all things considered."

"I don't need help, it doesn't concern you, grounder, I would have a dirt kisser try and avenge my flock."

"You aren't going to scare me off that easily." he did turn away though, "metals, energon or both?"

Starscream watched him for a moment, debating. He was lacking a lot of fuel and minerals. He would have gladly starved to avoid the help, but he couldn't.

"Both" he demanded

"Together or separate, someone will no doubt have a stew simmering, or I've got pure and crisps if that's preferable."

Starscream shrugged, "Whatever, I am hungry."

"Here," he handed the seeker one of the smallest cubes of pure Energon he had. "I'll be back in a moment."

Starscream took the energon without a thank you, grumbling about the size and quickly gulped down the cube. His tanks were upset, but his frame was happy to have some good fuel. He'll need more though, and definitely a check up, though he wasn't sure if he should ask for a medic or not. If he found out he was already sparked, perhaps Megatron would be uninterested in keeping a seeker with unfamiliar CNA, or worse, make room to sire his own sparklings. He shivered slightly at the thought. He didn't care if he was kind so far, this mech wanted him as a mate, and most likely to produce heirs. He wouldn't tell a spark that he was carrying but he did need the check over.

He frowned, perhaps he could get away with no hard-line or scans, at least until he was close to popping out his eggs.

Megatron returned shortly with a bowl, impure Energon with a variety of metals softened from the heat. He passed it to starscream.

Starscream sat up, still holding up his wings in warning as the mech approached, but could see the dull glow of warmed energon stew. He allowed him to come up, grabbing the bowl and taking a small taste-test. It was like a wave of need and hunger. He could taste the exact minerals he needed and lacked for cycles. He tossed the spoon down, turning the bowl into his mouth and gulping it down. 

"More," he demanded, holding the bowl out. His cravings were not satisfied yet.

"haven't eaten for a while then?" he didn't wait for a response though, he simply took the bowl and returned with it filled.

"I flew across the rust sea to make some distance from the city, of course I am hungry," He growled, rolling his optics as he settled again, waiting for Megatron to return. He drank his bowl just as greedily, and finally his tanks told him he could settle. The seeker curled up on the furs again, still eyeing the mech. 

"So what’s your issue?" He asked, wanting to preen but having the mech there meant he would be too exposed in more ways than one, "And please don't tell me you're love struck, you don't look at a bot who's wasted away, nearly dead and become infatuated, and frankly it would be disturbing if you did." 

He threw a fur over himself, keeping his warmth, "You're a leader, so you must have plans with me, afterall why would you take-in a bot you have no relationship with, nor proof of their worth, another mouth to feed must have more benefits than consequences"

Megatron smirked, the seeker really was showing his intelligence. "what makes you say I'm a leader?"

"You don't get to make those sorts of choices unless you were one, or cocky enough to think you'll get away with doing that, which means you're now either delusional or still someone of incredible standing," he replied, unimpressed, "You're holding me captive but I'm not chained or mistreated, so far, so I'm no prisoner, so what am I now to you."

"At this stage, you are my prospective bonded. You are correct, this is my tribe, we are about 80 strong. As for why, I find the idea of flight on my descendents and bondmate appealing. Though I do also find you attractive."

Starscream rolled his optics, "Everyone does," he said, thinking it over. He might be able to use this. It wasn't a flock, and frankly he didn't believe there were any seekers left to make a decent population now, he might have to settle for the grounder. He was a leader too, which gave him some points. Maybe as this mech's mate, he'd stand a greater chance at keeping his eggs. What bot would purposefully hurt their own bonded like that?

"I can see the advantages of such an engagement, but really, what's in it for me?" He asked, "I'm not interested in love, perhaps the adoration, but I know not every tribe works the same, what's my benefits for being mated to you?"

Megatron nodded watching him. "and if I said I wasn't intending to give you a choice?"

Starscream looked at him, wings held high again, "Then I would warn you I wouldn't need a blade to carve into your spark," he held a long talon up. "I see your kind isn't that civilized," he added, irritated again, "Don't call me your bonded if you intend on raping me to achieve your goals."

"No, I don't, it's simply one of the common misconceptions about my kind. As for why you should at least decide to stay. You were half starved when I found you, and you clearly have enemies, and I suspect you have no allies. You know exactly what it is you have to gain from this."

"You greatly overestimate my will to live Megatron. There is no replacing what was stolen from me with a tacky little tent and some protection, and the only reason I'll continue spitting Primus with my continued existence is to rip apart the sparks of the mech's who burned my home down. If you intent for me to stay here and become a breeding bitch, then you'll be gravely mistaken and I will show you the consequences of such beliefs," the seeker leaned back, glaring, "But if you're offering a position I could benefit from, to have equal standing in, then perhaps we both can be satisfied with the results of a happy seeker."

"I asked you to be my bonded seeker, I know what I offered."

Starscream looked at him, rolling his optics, "At most, I'll consider it," he said with a wave, dismissive

"At this stage that is all I ask. Now can I share my berth with you, or are you going to claw my spark out if I try it?"

"Oh, a quick learner, I said that this tent was mine now, find a new place to sleep."

Megatron nodded. "I won't let you keep me from my berth forever but for now, I accept." He turned and left the tent.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron has had enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To say this wasn't beta read is an understatment,  
> but in any case, enjoy an update.

Starscream had slept for a good portion of the night, but eventually he was up. His coding was going crazy. He had already laid claim to this space as his nest but it didn't feel like a nest. 

Something had to be done. He moved whatever he could find, made the entrance narrow with a few heavier chests and made whatever sharp objects he could to point towards the walls of the tent should someone try and simply move through them. He pushed all the furs closer to the back, using another few chests and items to make more of an actual nest of furs before he found it somewhat satisfied. 

Now all he needed was to wait for his eggs to come.

Megatron returned a while after sunrise with another bowl of food. "okay... any particular reason you barricaded the tent?" megatron said working his way in.

"It is my nest," spoken as if the obvious, "You must know very little about seekers. Visions have a stronger instinct to the nest and to carry, though... My action was supposed to make and protect my nest for me." He looked around the tent, "Though, I'm yet to feel safe in this flabby little thing, fabric for walls," he touched the tent wall, "there is no safety in this"

Megatron nodded slightly, "no I don't. Would it help to know that this tent is at the center of a mass of other tents and there are guards on the perimeter."

"Barely, nests were supposed to be made in the sides of steep mountains or ledges, surrounded by rock and steel. If someone came, the nest only had one entrance, which the action would protect," he said with a shrug, "and besides, I do not trust your tribe to treat me as their own to protect like a flock."

"And yet you flew across the rust sea completely alone with even less to protect you?"

Starscream glared, "I had to get away, the city mech's were expanding their walls, destroying everything, bulldozing the mountain and spraying fire into nests, and killing anyone who didn't fly fast enough."

He huffed, field tense as he remembered the awful image of Skywarp protecting him from the flames, "Both my trinemates died protecting me, what mech would let their actions go in vain by dying there too."

Megatron watched him thoughtfully. "You’re carrying their newsparks aren't you?"

Starscream narrowed his optics, "Are you trying to suggest I'm fat?" He asked

Surprise rolled through Megatron’s field. "Does carryings visibly alter seeker frames?"

"Yes, incredibly so, being egg heavy puts a lot of weight and the frame moves even your peds to rebalance yourself," At least that was true. Starscream was beginning to worry how much he lacked size wise at this stage.

"They can't transform either, so how do you think I got here?" That was definitely a lie. Not that Starscream cared about Megatron's feelings about the matter.

Megatron nodded, "so... Visions build nests all the time and not just when they are sparked?"

"Yes, the instinct is to have a nest... Well no, an action builds the nest, the vision is more focused on their bedding usually, but I have no action to request it, and I need a nest, so I made my own so my coding would be satisfied."

Megatron nodded, "action, and what was the other one you said? Order? They were your bond mates?"

"They were," he confirmed with a nod.

"So seekers always bond in threes into roles like that?"

"Of course, we all trine, it's instinct to want to find your trine," he said with a shrug, "Though I've always been a bit off, it's always been argued I should have been an order, but life isn't fair, and I am a vision, though I get-got a decent amount of attention."

Megatron tilted his head. "So what are they? Action, vision, order? We don't do that, there are no set rolls, some are better at some things and that's generally what they do, they don't have to.”

Starscream laid on his back, thinking it over for a moment, "It is... hard to explain when it's just understood... Actions are the protectors, orders lead and make the final decisions for the trine, and visions carry and care for the eggs."

He shrugged, "of course people may not exactly fit into those, but all trines are unique, we cover each other's weaknesses, and you know there are two bots you can depend on."

"And you’re a vision, so you stay and care for the eggs? Would you always have a vision or do you choose?”

"It is a vision's coding drive to carry, to be the main caretakers and educate the young, " He rolled his optics, "Its a program, something we're born with, and in that same vein, we're all born in a group of three, destined to be one of the three."

Megatron paused, "born in a group of three... Do you mean..."

"No, no, Primus, no" Starscream said smacking his helm, "No, we don't trine with our nestmates you freak, it's just the natural way we never are without a trine once we are of age to find one."

Megatron relaxed. "So what about now? Were there other survivors?"

Starscream glanced elsewhere, talons quickly scraping against each other, "I'm sure I'm not the only one..." He said, unsure of it himself, "The head of the flock perished, that I know but how many others survived I'm sure..."

"you escaped alone." Megatron’s voice was soft.

Starscream made a small dismissive wave of his servo, "Yes, to my knowledge," he seemed to have taken an interest in his talons, field tight and unnervingly still. He had to keep it that way. He didn't want the mech knowing how much he wanted to mourn for his tribe and trine.

Megatron nodded. "if you were to bond to me and into my tribe how closely would mirroring seeker customers be necessary?"

"It's not like I cared for them," he said with a shrug, looking away, "But you wouldn't be able to perform any of it."

Megatron watched him carefully "so what happens now?"

Starscream shrugged, "I'm recovering, aren't I?" He said leaning back, "You could at least give me the bowl."

Megatron looked down, at the bowl he was still holding, "oh sorry." he handed the bowl over.

He sighed, taking it, trying a sip, frowning, "It's cold now," he said, handing it right back with an irritated glare.

Megatron rolled his optics and set the bowl down to collect something still warm. He returned shortly and passed the bowl to starscream.

"Took you long enough," he said, snatching the bowl and finally having his meal, "So, don't you have anything more important to do?""

Megatron picked up the bowl that had gone cold, eating it himself, "I think you underestimate how important this is."

"I think you underestimate how much I don't care."

Megatron chuckled, "and yet you ask."

"You're incredibly irritating," he said with a growl

Megatron merely shrugged and continued to eat.

Starscream snorted, "I don't want to see that ugly face, get out," he demanded

"Really defeats the purpose but sure." Megatron retreated.

* * *

Starscream was laid on his front again, servos gathering the fur in front of him, like a mound he was leaning upon. Truthfully, he was bracing himself, using his body and wings to hide the three eggs beneath them. He had laid about three days ago, and now the mech hadn't moved an inch from the spot. It had been painful, but Starscream successfully delivered by himself and now he had to keep his eggs warm and safe. Of course, only to make matters worse Megatron had slowly become less welcoming here. He still had so much time left before the eggs hatched and he would be able to leave.

Megatron entered his tent with a bowl of stew. This was it, it had been two weeks and he'd made zero progress. He still wasn't welcome in his own tent for more than a few minutes at a time. He'd tried to be respectful but this wasn't going to work. He handed Starscream the stew taking a seat of a box and watching him.

Starscream's wings flicked with irritation as the mech walked into the tent, optics glaring for a moment till he spied the fuel. He reached out for it, but not moving from the spot as he had done for the last three days, and quietly gulped down the bowl before returning to his curled position.

Megatron watching him, trying to figure out how to start a sentence. Eventually he gave up. "this isn't going to work, is it?"

Starscream instinctively hugged his nest, sensing an odd change in Megatron's attitude, "What are you talking about?"

"The courtship I completely failed at. I thought space would help you adjust, perhaps I was wrong." he shrugged helplessly.

"Courtship? I don't recall holding bots captive a Courtship"

"It's a cultural thing, besides, it's not like you even tried to leave or were badly treated."

"I didn't leave because you didn't let me, why would I try to leave if I knew I couldn't get away?"

Megatron nodded, "well, you'll be happy to know the courtship period is over, you’re free to go."

Starscream blinked, and did not move. "I'm not leaving," he announced, getting comfortable again.

There was a ripple of surprise through Megatron's field, “You didn't seem to have any interest in even spending time with me."

"I don't, haven't given me a reason to, but this is my nest, and I'm not leaving," his wings hiked up, rattling at the mech, "And you if you try to move me, I'll rip out your spark."

Megatron chuckled. "This is my tent. If you are still adamant you want nothing to do with me then we have a problem."

Starscream hissed back at the mech, beginning to get back on his peds, ready to pounce. "Don't come any closer," he growled.

Megatron let out a deep rumbling rev of his engine in threat. "Did you think I was just going to let you move into my tent and kick me out?"

Starscream glared, "I don't think I give a damn about your problems."

"Are we really going to do this the hard way?" Megatron said annoyed and tired.

"Nothing about me is easy."

"impossible might be more accurate to describe you." Megatron said, and he attacked.

Starscream moved to at least take the fight away from his eggs, growling as the mech charged him. Talons swiped at the mech furiously, and he bit where he could get his fangs in.

Megatron managed to grab onto the wing tightly, even as energon leaked from his own frame. He dragged the seeker out of his tent and through the encampment.

Starscream scratched at what he could, whether that was Megatron, air or ground, at this point the mech was furiously attacking anything near him. He kept glancing at the tent getting further and further away. He was losing this fight, and he was being taken away from his eggs. What would Megatron do when he saw them? His spark sank at the idea of that large ped hovering over top of still growing sparks.

"Let me go!" He growled, trying to find some footing to pull out of Megatron’s hold. 

Megatron gave him a shove beyond the edge of the camp. "Done. You’re free to go."

Starscream stumbled onto the ground, briefly, looking up at the mech and realizing his wings were free. Quickly, he got back into his feet, taking a leep to try and use his thrusters over the mech and back to the tent.

Megatron caught Starscream by the ankle and slammed him back into the ground. "what the frag is wrong with you.  **Leave** ."

Starscream groaned. It was painful, but none of the carrier protective coding allowed him to stop now. 

"You're not going to keep me away from my nest," he growled back

"It's not your nest. What do I need to do to get that into your processor."

"Get bent ground kisser," he snapped back at him, firing up his thursters so the heat of his peds would fire against the servo that held him

Megatron twisted and a scuffle ensued, it ended with Megatron holding the back of Starscream's neck with one hand, and a wing with the other. "do I need to break something before you get the message?"

Starscream was at his limit with how much his coding would let him fight. He wouldn't be able to care for his young if he was injured, or possibly dead. He twitched as he felt a hard pull on his wing. Losing that without a proper medic would be disastrous. He wouldn't be able to leave without it.

He vented hard, still debating with his own dignity about giving into submission, but the coding quickly took over, and Starscream stilled under Megatron.

"I'll be your bonded," he said in hard vents, "Just let me get back to my nest."

"That's not how this works." megatron said coldly, "you don't want to be my bonded I'm nor going to force you."

Starscream slammed both of his fists down on the ground, growling back at the mech with frustration, "I'm not being forced, I said I'll be your bonded as long as I get to stay here."

"You wouldn't let me anywhere near you, you refused to even consider building a relationship. What are you offering?"

"Everything, whatever you wanted, just let me get back to my nest..." He replied, turning away his gaze from the mech to stare at the ground

"... Why?" Megatron said. Confusion dominated his field.

Starscream frowned, "It's my home now," he said, unsure of how to explain it beyond that fact. Perhaps his Homeland was gone but he had his sparklings. Wherever they would be, he’d have to be there, "I have to return home."

Megatron snorted. "So now you know what the stakes are, things are going to be different?"

Starscream softly nodded his helm, "You can even sleep in the tent."

"Even? I intend to sleep in my own berth for a change."

Starscream gave another nod, "If that's what you want, okay."

"It is," Megatron said almost experimentally letting Starscream go again.

Starscream felt some freedom in his wing, pulling it free from the servo, but otherwise stayed on the ground in submission.

Megatron offered his hand to the seeker.

Starscream looked at the hand, hesitating for a moment, conflicted in taking it, but soon he found his own hand in the much larger hand. 

Megayron pulled him up and into his frame, partly desire, but mostly testing to see what the seeker would do.

Starscream was on his peds again and now standing just a few inches apart from Megatron himself. It was horribly close, but he could deal with this. For his eggs.

The seeker did nothing but stand there, avoiding any direct eye contact.

Megatron caught the seekers chip tilting his head up, "is this what you want?"

Starscream was forced to look up, staring back at the mech. He gave a small nod, "Yes."

Megatron tilted his head moving to try and kiss the seeker.

Starscream knew it was coming. He didn't want the grounder to kiss him but he needed to be trusted now. He rocked on his tip toes, kissing Megatron a forceful kiss back

Megatron’s engine revved and he pulled the seeker closer, lifting him up. He apparently let himself be fooled, if the seeker wanted to play it this way he would let him.

Starscream braced his hands on Megatron’s chest, now off the ground and forced to kiss the mech to appease him. He could at least make a good show out of it. 

There was a tug on his spark, urging him to return to the eggs. "I have to return to the nest," he stated, a bit panicked. 

Megatron chuckled carrying the seeker, "alright."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laying didn't go as well as Starscream first thought, and subsequently he gets to meet a second member of the tribe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is chapter three.   
> Volt helped me edit this one, and they went back and edited chapters 1 & 2 so there's less mistakes now :D
> 
> I'm going to try and do friday updates for the forseeable future. Shouldn't be hard given how much Volt and I RP,   
> and hard part is going to be deciding what to do when when reach the end of what we did for this one.   
> ~Lilac

Starscream fidgeted a bit in his arms, "Hurry up," he said, his usually controlled field now cracking with a bit of worry. 

Why were his eggs calling to him? Was it normal or were they in danger?

Megatron chuckled, "and I would have thought you would have been tired of staying inside there all the time. I thought seekers needed to fly?"

Starscream scowled, "I need to get back now," he said, starting to squirm.

Megatron lowered Starscream and pulled back the flap of the tent. "see we’re back? What is up with you? Is this normal seeker behaviour?"

" _ Yes _ ," Starscream hopped out of the mech's arms and rushed over to his bedding. He lightly checked over the top, touching to count his eggs before he curled up over it again as if nothing had changed.

Megatron chuckled, "you really are peculiar creatures." he approached again, setting down beside the seeker.

He ignored Megatron. Starscream curled up tighter around his bedding as Megatron approached, tense in his frame and already the stress of Megatron's now constant presence in his nest now leaking into his field. 

Megatron wasn't trine or flock, perhaps now a mate but not one he wanted. He didn't trust him, and now with Megatron so close to his eggs, Starscream felt panicked with nowhere to go.

Megatron watched the seeker closely. "Why are you so worried?"

"Nothing," Starscream said, turning his helm away.

Megatron reached out carefully and stroked the edge of Starscream’s wing. "it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you, on purpose or by accident. I know what I'm doing."

Starscream's wings flicked. Though he longed for a good preening, he hadn't expected the touch nor did he really want it right now. He just wanted to be with his eggs. 

"What?" He replied, puzzled at what Megatron meant.

"I'm just saying you've got nothing to be scared of." he shifted for a different point, running fingers down the seekers pauldron.

Starscream looked at the servos against his plating, "What are you doing."

"Shhh, just relax. We won't do anything this time, but I would like to get to know you better."

Starscream let out a quick vent, settling back over his eggs. Nothing about this was relaxing. Being touched and fondled as he tried to warm his eggs was more than stressful now that he couldn't snap back at the mech. He gave up trying to say anything about it now. He'd do whatever to keep his eggs safe, even if it meant fragging a grounder. His frame stayed tense under the invasive servo, growing restless with it.

Megatron tried stroking down the centre of the seekers back. He leaned in and kissed the corner of the seekers mouth. "So, do you know anything I can do to help you relax?"

Starscream frowned, "Talking is better."

Megatron let his hand drop. "well, that's better than telling me to leave again." there was an edge to his voice. Then again if Starscream truly wanted to talk rather than just as a delaying tactic. That was good.

Starscream shifted. He wanted the mech to leave so badly. The eggs deserved a non stressful environment. A place where he could softly speak to them of his trinemates. It was the most he could do to mourn for them now. Some relief came out of him as the mech finally stopped his prodding at his frame, relaxing only a little but still tense. 

"What does your tribe do?" He asked, forcing himself to seem mildly interested, "For courting and mating stuff."

Megatron nodded between them, "this for the most part. Though I'll admit we’re not a great example of a successful courtship."

Starscream snorted, "No, it doesn't seem that way." He felt the faintest field vibration under his servos through the furs, small and weak in one of the eggs. He knew soon their fields would be too large soon to hide it with his own. "I need fuel," he stated, pulsing a glyph of hunger to cover up the sudden rowdiness of his egg's fields.

Megatron chuckled. "yes of course, I'll be back." 

This time megatron returned with two bowls and a small cauldron. He filled one and passed it to Starscream before filling the other for himself.

Starscream looked up as Megatron returned, still unmoving from his spot over his eggs. He saw the cauldron, curious about it but focused on the bowl he was given. He ate quickly as before, putting it down before returning to his duty of protecting his eggs.

"Would you care for the sparklings?" He asked suddenly, "I'm assuming that's the main reason you'd want a flight frame as a mate, but would you care for them?"

"Of course," Megatron said, "they'd be my sparklings, why wouldn't I care for them?"

Starscream shrugged, "I wanted to be prepared if you didn't."

Megatron nodded slightly. "I don't know how seeker's do things, but I will help however I'm needed, and I will care for them. Pit, three mechs have already offered to sparkling-sit if we both need a break and you’re not even close to carrying yet. You wouldn’t have to care for them by yourself."

Starscream's field suddenly became aggressive, "No one is coming near me and my eggs."

Megatron paused, that seemed like way less of a hypothetical. "Okay, no sparkling-sitters. How do seeker's handle it? Or is it less of a handful with three of you?"

Starscream calmed again, "We rotate, visions usually stay in the nest for a few days then the action or order stays, and we all kind of just rotate, but I've seen many visions barely leave their nests unless they have to have a flight to prevent wing spasms."

Megatron nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." he finished his own bowl and nodded to the pot, did you want some more or are you done?"

"I'm full," he said with a shake of his helm

Megatron took the bowl and settled back on the berth beside Starscream. "you're eating less than you were last week."

"I was recovering before," he said quickly, "I do not need much now."

Megatron nodded. "of course that was thoughtless of me. You are doing better now though?"

Starscream gave a brief nod, "Better than before," he said with a shrug

Megatron caught his hand and stroked his thumb across the back of it, "but still not fully recovered either right?"

Starscream hesitated, before nodding slightly, "I'm... Not functioning at 100% if that's what you're asking me."

Megatron tilted his head slightly. "it's okay. You don't trust me yet, but I can't help you if you hide things from me."

_ If only you knew _ , he thought to himself, "I'm still functioning so it doesn't matter"

"What doesn't matter? That you are hurting? That something isn't how it should be?"

"I'm not discussing it," he said with a scowl.

Megatron nodded "of course." He ran his fingers lightly up Starscream’s arm. "So what are we talking about?"

Starscream was tense again from the touching, "Did you always plan on mating with a flight frame?" He asked.

"I'm not sure if planned is the right word, though I have always found flight frames appealing for a variety of reasons."

"Surely there are more than just me in the area?"

"It's not as simple as all that. Your circumstances made you an easy target, though I will also point out you are now refusing to leave. So that does negate that somewhat," he shrugged, "Even so flyers are still quite rare in these parts."

They continued talking for a while, verbally sparring with each other with neither making any headway. Eventually they settled down to sleep megatron making it clear that starscream would sleep beside him on the meshes. 

* * *

Megatron shifted slightly in his sleep, waking fully as his sensors informed him of a damp patch. He sat up examining the moisture... Fresh Energon he realised. Well, not overly fresh but still damp to the touch. He frowned. "Are you awake?" he asked softly.

Starscream looked over to Megatron, sleepy and feeling exhausted, "what?" He snapped.

"Are you leaking?" he asked, his field radiating concern.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, more irritated, sitting up and finding himself sitting in damp meshes. He looked down, touching between his legs and realized he was leaking energon. He had been softly leaking after laying, but this was much heavier than before. Something was wrong. 

"It's nothing," he said quickly, already fishing for the dirty rag he had been using, wiping himself, the stained rag quickly becoming useless as it got soaked, "Must have cut myself on my own frame or something..."

Megatron frowned, "it's not nothing, you need to see a medic."

Starscream shook his helm, "I don't need to leave the nest for just a little bit of energon, it's fine," he growled back, tossing the rag at Megatron, "Just get me another rag I can use." He held his helm for a moment, feeling slightly faint. He should have been fine when he laid, weren't all carrier's okay after laying?

"That's it, I'm taking you to see a medic." Megatron picked Starscream up bodily, slinging him over his shoulder.

Starscream screeched as he picked up, flailing his servos around, "Put me down, I need to stay with the nest!" His struggle quickly lost its strength as he felt too exhausted to really fight. 

"This is a waste of time, I'm completely fine."

"You are leaking badly, you are not fine." he dropped Starscream at the entrance to another tent. He raised his voice "Knock Out, I have a patient for you."

Starscream glared, growling and crossing his servos. "Not a willing one..."

Knockout came to the entrance of his tent, He gave Starscream a hard look, taking in the set of his frame and the slow trickle of energon.

He frowned, "you'd better come inside." he glared at Megatron, "You wait out here."

Starscream frowned, giving a hard glare to Megatron before getting up, wobbling a bit before following into the tent, scowling. 

"Alright, How long ago did you lay?" knockout asked flatly.

Starscream jolted at the question, growling, "I didn't lay."

"You did. That," Knock Out waved at him, "is classic post laying complications, I need to know how long it's been. It doesn't look like it's been more than two weeks, but I'm pretty sure Megatron would have mentioned if you were nesting in his tent."

Starscream glanced at the energon coating his thighs, making a disgusted scoff, "Four days now, it has gotten heavier today," He spat back at the mech, "And ... he doesn't know."

Knock Out nodded. "You probably jostled it in the night. Megatron has moved back in now, hasn't he?" his tone was slightly disapproving. "I can weld it, or just do a small patch to stem the bleeding, you'll have to be careful if I do that though"

"Unfortunately yes," He grumbled, "Whatevers faster, I just want to get back to my nest now."

Knock Out nodded "I thought so. I'll patch it, just be careful not to jostle it too much. And I doubt it'll be a problem but no interfacing okay?"

Starscream made a disgusted face, "Believe me, i wasn't planning on it," he said, knowing he was still sore and... ugh interface with a grounder. He got up on the slate, ready to get this over with.

Knockout worked quickly and effectively on the newly-made carrier, "why didn't you tell him you were carrying?"

"He seemed more interested in having his own kin," Starscream said with a shrug, "I wasn't sure how grounders did things, if he would have preferred that i am... open for business as to say."

Starscream paused. "Will you tell him?"

"Medical confidentiality," Knock Out said simply, "I won't say anything, but I do think you should tell him, it’s not like you can keep it from him. Especially after you agreed to be his Mate."

Starscream gave out some relief, "I can't tell him until I trust him."

"And if he finds out any way? Or if you decide you don't trust him?"

"I'll just leave when they hatch, they'll be small enough for my cockpit then," he says frowning

Knockout groaned, "Yeah, that's a really bad idea, you agreed to stay, and trust me you do not want to piss off Megatron like that, not when you didn't tell him you were carrying in the first place, I guess it is kind of late for that now though."

Starscream hissed, "I'll do whatever i think is best for them," he growled back.

"Yeah and is making an enemy of megatron really what you want? Grounder courtships last two weeks that's it."

"That's much too short, I was forced to stay here for frags sake," he huffed.

"Yeah, and you should have left when it was over, but you'd already laid then hadn't you?"

"I would have but i wasn't strong enough yet and... then i laid and primus, what have i done to deserve this slag," He said grabbing his helm as it felt like it was pounding against the metal, "I can't move until they're hatch, and i'm already going crazy with that flimsy little tent for a nest, it isn't safe."

Knockout shrugged, “Look around. That flimsy tent is as safe as you can get down on the plains. Do you have any idea how many guards this encampment has?" he shrugged, "the courtship could have been invalided had you told him instead you accepted, and going back on that is unlikely to end well for you."

"It's not a proper nest, not by seeker standards, not even a bare minimum," he crossed his servos again, "I don't care how many guards there are here, they're not a trine, i have no one anymore and there isn't a spark i'll replace them with. Are we done now? " 

Knockout set down his tools, "yeah we're done."

Starscream gave a short nod, closing his legs and strolled right out without a glance to the medic and, of course, not a thank you. He hadn't a clue of the position he was in, he had his reasoning for his choices, and everything would be for his eggs.

Knockout rolled his eyes. Seekers. They were far too highly strung in his opinion. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another new face turns up, and Starscream morns what he's lost.

Soundwave paused outside of Megatron's tent, and announced his presence with a brief burst of static.

"Yes, Soundwave?"

"Soundwave: requests audience with seeker mate."

Megatron glanced to the seeker sitting inside the tent, "Will you see him?"

Starscream turned to look at Megatron, narrowing his optics, "Who even is this? I'm not leaving my tent nor am I going to start letting bots I don't know wandering in and out of my nest."

Megatron raised his voice, "Not today Soundwave." 

There was the sound soft steps outside slowly growing quieter. Megatron Broke the silence,, "Soundwave is my second in command."

"And what business does he even have with me?" He asked sourly, huffing as his wings flicked.

"You'd have to ask him that, though i suspect he may have wanted advice. His youngest recently unfurled as an avian."

Starscream looked up, "He's a carrier?"

"We don't distinguish that way, but I suppose the answer is a definite yes in Soundwave's case."

Starscream stayed quiet for a second. He didn't have any real reason to trust this Soundwave character, but he was another carrier like himself. It seemed like he had more experience being a creator, and the seeker was in desperate need to have some sort of elder flock to help him transition into a full time creator. And another flight bounded frame was here in need of help from all these idiotic grounders.

Starscream tsk-ed his mouth loudly, sighing, "Primus, you're useless with information. Go bring him in, but I'm speaking to him privately."

Megatron nodded, "off course." 

He left, a while later soundwave entered apparently alone. His field pulsed a hint of puzzlement but mostly a comforting comradery, "Seeker: nesting."

Starscream looked up at the stoic mech, wings instinctively lifting up in a small threat should the mech do anything more than sit and talk or get too close. There was a softness in his field though. A sense of familiarity that could only be described as a shared feeling of creator hood. 

He snorted.

"And?" he asked, rolling his optics, "Is it that obvious and if it is, how is Megatron that blind?"

"Megatron: unfamiliar with both carriers and seekers."

Starscream gave a scoff, "No scrap," he said, shifting uncomfortably, "How many do you have currently?"

"Lazerbeak is my fourth. Grounders rarely have more than one at a time. Would you like to meet her?"

"Fourth? Seekers do not have more than three at a time, and usually just nest that trine," he said, tilting his helm, "You have her here?"

"Ravange: oldest, already beginning to join hunting parties. Twins: rumble, frenzy, spend much time independent inside camp. Lazerbeak: deploy."

He opened his chest copatement and a small avian sparkling emerged.

Starscream looked at the small ball of metal, chirping and looking curious at him. It must have been his own terrible hormones going wild, but Starscream couldn't help but think the little minibot was... Adorable. 

As cute as she was though, he couldn't help but notice how cramped her wings looked. 

"Have you been preening her?" He asked suddenly, "she looks like she could do it herself one day but, her wings look tense right now."

"Soundwave: only marginally familiar with flight frames. Lazerbeak's sire: not part of this tribe."

"She needs to been preened until she learns to do it herself," Starscream warns, "Otherwise, her wings might cramp up completely during a first flight, anyways, as a sparkling, no one really gets how heavy your wings are, haven't gotten used to the weight, so it would be good to get something to rest the wings on for sleeping... Oh and also."

He pointed to the joint of her wing connecting it to her body, "Different on a seeker, but I can tell it will be sore here, a massage and oil regularly on that joint will be a relief for her."

Soundwave nodded, recording all of the advice. "Thank you."

Starscream nodded letting a silence fall between them, mostly looking at the small sparkling. 

"Can I .. hold her?" He asked quietly.

Soundwave didn't answer verbally, merely encouraging Lazerbeak closer to the seeker.

Starscream hesitated before softly scooping up the small thing when she was close. He worried for a moment, afraid he would hold her wrong or drop her, but he found a nice little cradle for her to rest on. He paused, watching the twitchy avian, before another hand slowly massaged her wing joint, hoping to give her some relief and help her relax. He was happy to see her relax in his arms, continuing to preen. He hadn't preened in so long, she deserved to have someone knowledgeable in the fact to do it for her. He missed doing it for his trine. 

"Was it ... Easy?" He asked quietly, "When they were born, did you know how to do things? Be a creator?"

Soundwave was quiet for a long while. "Sparklings: hard. " He paused, "Sparklings: worth it"

Starscream shifted a bit, "I don't really know much about sparklings... I didn't think I would have them honestly..." He trailed off, trying to find the words to explain. "You know about visions?" He asked, "Yes, it's odd but ive never had the real desire until my trine."

Soundwave nodded. "A little."

Starscream sighed, "I don't think I have the instincts for it .."

Soundwave nodded to the seeker. "Seeker: protect eggs."

Starscream snorted, "I know how to be aggressive," he corrected, going a bit quiet. "I don't know how to be caring… I was more excited to see Skywarp handle the bitlets..."

"Trine: gone?" Soundwave asked softly. Megatron wouldn't have continued this with a bonded mech and he doubted the seeker hadn't mentioned them before now.

"They were dead before I came here," he said with a shrug, "Which is why I stayed, there wasn't much of a choice for me."

Soundwave was silent for a while. "Megatron: does not know about eggs." It wasn't a question.

"No, didn't know I was sparked," Starscream vented, "I was afraid he would want to... Make room for his own.. and this is all I have left of... Everything."

Soundwave shook his head, "Decepticons: not like that. Megatron: not like that. Sparklings: all precious."

Starscream shook his helm, "I still don't know him, and at this point, how would I tell him?"

Soundwave shrugged. "alternative seems worse."

"So I've been told," Starscream said, frowning, "I didn't want to... Move on yet.. and now I feel like I am forced to."

"Our courtship ritual lasts Two weeks, to stay beyond that is to accept. He will not ask you to leave again."

"I already laid by then, I couldn't leave," Starscream said with a shrug, "He's an idiot, he hasn't even realized, why would I let myself get twisted winged if not for a nest." 

"You are the first seeker Megatron has met. He is refraining from relying on rumours."

"Still, it's called kidnapping when you hold a mech hostage as he did," He growled

Soundwave tilted his head, trying to decide how to explain. "Don't seeker's have a test of skill in their courtship rituals?"

"Tests... No not really, you're around flock all the time. You know everyone well enough to know who can do what," He said with a shrug, "And if you would like to trine with that seeker or the pair, then you start with exchanging gifts, and eventually do a bonding flight."

"Seeker's usually bond with those they already know?" there was puzzlement in Soundwave's field.

"Flocks are big," Starscream paused, "Were.. big"

"how big?" soundwave asked intrigued

"Big," He repeated, "Each trine is three, and every trine has another three, and that three has their own three, so on and so forth."

"how many?" soundwave asked, "The Decepticons are One of the largest plains tribes. We are big but it's still rare to bond inside the tribe."

Starscream shook his helm, "You're.. decent sized but flocks are many, if the flock gets too big in an area, then we make another eyrie somewhere else, but flock is flock, we all go between flocks, and everyone answers to the head of flock."

Soundwave tilted his head slightly. "all seekers flock?"

"Of course, we flock and we trine," He said with a shrug

Soundwave nodded, that made more sense. "Grounder tribes are smaller, never more than one hundred, more often closer to 30. Must find mates from outside."

"How do you know they're even safe?" He asked.

Soundwave shrugged, "One warrior in another camp. Why would they be a risk?"

"Outsiders are never to be trusted," he said with a shrug, "No one is, unless they're trine or flock."

"We don't have that luxury. Courtship rituals exist for this reason."

"So kidnapping is the alternative," he huffed.

Soundwave shrugged, "It is our culture. You would not have come to harm or be forced into anything beyond giving him a chance."

"Not after accepting, no." Soundwave was silent for a long time. 

"He wouldn't have hurt your eggs, but you know how well the courtship was going. Megatron slept on the ground outside every night."

"Oh please, skywarp and thundercracker used perform aerial shows for me until their wings were sore, so forgive me if i don't give a frag about Megatron's back struts," Starscream snapped back, field growing in distress, and felt the tiny avian stir. Starscream made a scoff, perhaps frustration at the situation or the horrible feeling of his emotions swirling inside his spark. 

"Here," He softly handed Laserbeak back to Soundwave, "I'm not going to stay here and pretend my trine never existed, when my eggs hatch i am leaving to find a proper nests with walls, and doesn't touch the slagging ground, and certainly not made of this stupid fragging fabric."

Soundwave stood, closing Lazerbeak back inside his chest compartment. "Seekers: may try. Decepticons: will not be happy."

Starscream hissed at the mech, suddenly his field turning hostile, "No one cared about my happiness, I don't give a frag about others, now get the frag out of my nest!" 

He wanted the mech gone now, he wanted to be by himself mostly to hide the disgusting amount of tears in his optics he would have to deal with.

"Information: not provided. Unable to act on information unknown." Soundwave said simply, standing and calmly leaving. 

Megatron returned after a bit, frowning when he saw the state the seeker was in. He approached cautiously. "Are you alright, is there anything I can do?"

Starscream turned away, "No, there isn't anything you can fragging do about it, dirt licker," he snapped at the mech, field spiking with hostility. There was a sudden shift, anger giving away to the hopelessness he felt as he realized he couldn't do anything about it neither. Skywarp and Thundercracker were gone, and his sparklings would never know what their creator trine was like. Starscream sucked in a vent, hiccuping as his spark chamber felt overwhelmed with grief and no longer in control of himself or his tears.

Megatron moved a little closer, teaking the loss and sadness in Starscream's field. He rested a hand on Starscream's shoulder.

"It's okay to miss them."

Starscream aggreessviely shrugged off the hand, pulling himself away from Megatron, "I don't need a grounder telling me what to do," he hissed back at him, "All of you are so moronic and ugly, your tents are stupid, I hate it all, I hate this stupid tent and the flat planes and the ocean, and city mechs-"

Starscream wasn't even sure what he was babbling about anymore, but anger felt better than being consumed by his own grief

Megatron chuckled softly. "and yet somehow you chose to stay with me?"

Starscream whipped around, talons swiping at his chest, and getting into Megatron's face, "You think my grief is so amusing?' he growled back at him. 

"I didn't choose you Megatron, I settled," Starscream turned again, roughly wiping at his own cheeks to try and cover up the crying

"No,'' Megatron's field grew more serious. 

"It's your anger that amuses me. You settled, sure. You settled for a flimsy tent, on flat plains and an ugly moronic grounder. All of which you claim to hate, yet here you are. If you hate everything I have to offer you, why are you still here?"

Starscream's wings hiked up, growling at the mech with anger seething out of his field.

"I didn't stay for my-fragging-self!" He yelled back

Megatron pulled back. Obviously he was just making this worse. He'd never been particularly good at dealing with outsiders. 

"Well, why did you stay?" he said darkly.

Starscream hissed back at the mech, "I didn't have a choice. I'm here because Skywarp and Thundercracker are fragging dead and I'll never see them again and, and-"

Starscream felt the swell in his chamber at the acknowledgement of it, and unsure what to do with it. He suddenly jolted forward, landing a furry of swipes at the mech 

Megatron moved back slightly, bringing his arms up to protect his face, and stop the worst of it from getting his spark chamber. 

"Yes, you've got nowhere else to go. It's part of why I offered you a place here, but it doesn't mean you have to stay here if you hate it so much."

"No, I hate you," Starscream growled back, almost determined to get a potentially large blow at the mech, "I hate you so much, I hate that you ran away like a coward, you should have just stayed and protected the nest, I should have Just stayed with my trine even till the end." 

Starscream wasn't hitting with any force anymore, venting out hard as he tried to calm himself down but was losing quickly to himself. The tears came out fast now, quietly sobbing into his own servos. 

"I'll do anything to see them again, please," he begged to no one, "I won't be mad at skywarp for his pranks, and I'll stop taking the blankets from Thundercracker, I just want to see them again." Starscream openedly sobbed now, wings dropping Completely until they simply hung off his frame.

"I'm sorry," Megatron said softly, "I'm sorry they’re gone." 

He didn't move from where he stood, as much as he wanted to pull the seeker close, such a gesture probably wouldn't be welcomed. 

"I don't know them, but I think they would have wanted you to live."

Starscream sobbed harder, " I know... But I miss them so much, we were going to start a family… I was ready to do it with them." 

The seeker sunk to his knees, crying and pleading for his trine back.

Megatron patted his shoulder in an effort to be consoling.

Starscream didn't fight back against the touch, still too consumed with his own grief to care what the mech did.

Megatron rubbed his shoulder gently, not doing anything more than that. 

"It will take time, but it will get better." he said softly.

Starscream leaned slightly into the touch, still sobbing and pleading for any chance to see his trine again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starscream hasn't flown for almost three weeks, his wings are begining to cramp up. 
> 
> Megatron just wants to help, things are tense.

Megatron had been doing his best trying to give the seeker space and time. He could afford time. 

It was nothing to wait a while longer especially when the seeker was so clearly still mourning the loss of his mates and tribe, but space was in somewhat limited supply since his refusal to continue sleeping on the floor. Even so, he did his best, making so with a single spare blanket and sleeping right on the edge of the berth. 

Starscream's earlier outburst had left the seeker rather tame in the most sulken way. He was taking time to process everything, or now his frame was forcing him to acknowledge his loss and actually grieve. He spent most of his time laying near his eggs or finding a private moment to cry quietly by himself to not drown them in his own sadness. It was embarrassing to have someone so near him to see his clear lack of control over his emotions, but Megatron had seemed to be much more tolerable than before. At least he could continue on much more peacefully. 

The seeker flopped around on the berth uncomfortable, feeling his wings tensed with the aching need to fly. There was no doubt he was suffering from the long term lack of flight. He sat up, trying to force paneling and flaps to move, which tensed and caused him more ache. Even one panel loudly squeaked as the flap moved, causing Starscream to groan uncomfortably

Megatron rolled over, "are you alright? That doesn't sound comfortable..."

Starscream looked over briefly, shrugging, "It's just a case of wing twist "

"wing twist?" Megatron questioned.

Starscream nodded, "Yes it's like... If you haven't flown for a while or taken care of your wings, the tension builds up and it just feels like your wings are twisting."

Megatron frowned slightly. "you should be flying?"

Starscream paused, tempted to lie but vented out, "Seekers usually need to fly most days for a few miles."

"I... I didn't intend to stop you flying.."

Starscream shrugged his shoulders again, "Whatever, I won't be able to anymore until I fix it," he sighed, laying back down and trying to get comfortable.

Megatron frowned, "I'm sorry."

Starscream shrugged, "It's whatever, I don't want to leave the nest any time soon, so it would be bound to happen anyways."

Megatron’s frown deepened. "are you injured?"

Starscream shook his helm, "Well, staying inside with any continuous amount of time with no flight and no preening will injure any set of wings," he said with another shrug.

Megatron looked down. "Would it help if I offered to preen your wings?"

Starscream looked over to him, optics narrowed in some suspicion, "Do you know how to?"

Megatron shrugged slightly. "I assume you can tell me what I need to do?"

"Depends on how well you can follow orders, Lord Megatron" he said, almost mocking.

Megatron startled back, discomfort flowing though his field. He had wanted Starscream to say his name, but not like that, "few bother with the title, and you least of all need to."

"I bother to," Starscream corrected him, watching him for a moment before rolling his optics, "You can't do it from the floor, can you?"

"No." Megatron said, a touch of tension in his voice. "You do not call me lord." He got up, shifting closer to Starscream.

Starscream rolled his optics again, shaking his helm and crossing his arms in an irritated huff. He watched him come closer before giving out another huff before scooting forward and away from him, "Nevermind then, I will do it myself."

He made a little spot for himself, positioning a wing on a few stacked pillows before percuring the very few items he did have in his subspace. A gift from his own creator trine, a few instruments to deeply preen. He wouldn't be able to get his back panelings, but at least he could mess with the front and the front side of his flaps. 

"Turn around," he ordered to Megatron, no longer feeling comfortable enough in having the mech see his deeper circuits

Megatron turned without question. He'd made a mistake somewhere, though it didn't quite make sense. Regrettably probably another cultural misunderstanding.

Starscream vents quickened as he began working on his own wings, softly grunting as the panels barely budged. He tried his best, but even with the panels he could easily reach he had to turn at a weird angle to try and preen and it just didn't work. He cursed, trying to relax a panel before suddenly hissing out as he forced it too much, shooting pain down his wing. He stopped, tossing the tool and cursing for a moment, trying to soothe himself

Megatron stayed where he was silent and facing away, watching the entrance to the tent.

"What the frag is wrong with me calling you what you are?" He asked suddenly, glaring over his shoulder.

"You can call me whatever you like." Megatron said a touch of annoyance in his voice.

"Oh, how kind of you to offer up now," Starscream snapped back.

Megatron didn't rise to it. He couldn't win, no matter what he said the seeker would find some problem with it. He stayed staring at the entrance to the tent.

"You don't let anyone just preen you," Starscream finally said after a moment of frustrated silence, "Maybe a flock member, but the only people who ever preen you are your creator trine, nest mates or your trine."

"And I don't count." megatron said, voice even icier than before.

"Our wings are everything to a seeker, we cannot even return to our nests without properly working wings, they're delicate and in need of a lot of care, it is the burden of flight," Starscream snapped back at him, "A proper preen requires us to show off inner circuitry, anyone could disable me for life without the proper medical care, and a seeker who can fly might as well jump off the nearest cliff." 

He glared at him again, "So forgive me if I'm cautious about who touches them, it is like having an uncovered spark, and might I remind you the last time you hand your hands on my wings, you threatened to break them."

"yes I remember very clearly. I find it interesting how you prefer to divorce all motive from my actions in order to make your point."

Starscream glared back at him, "You don't get anything do you?" 

"I get plenty of things, what I don't get is why you choose to stay when you have exactly zero interest in staying. Or do you just not care to try your luck on your own?" 

"I don't have to speak to you," Starscream informed him, "There is nothing more I care to say to you, Lord Megatron."

"As you wish, seeker," Megatron said. He finally moved, leaving the tent entirely.

Once again Megatron spent the night directly outside the tent. He doubted the seeker would appreciate the gesture, but it was better than antagonising his intended. In the morning he collected another bowl of the stew that was the staple of their diet and, since someone had made gels, he collected a few as well. He returned to the tent carrying the bowl and several gels.

Starscream has returned to his usual spot guarding his eggs, still in a bit of a mood. Just when things seemed calm, Megatron had to have an attitude. He huffed, as the mech came into the tent, purposefully turning to not look at him.

Megatron glanced over at him. Yeah. He wasn't getting anywhere this morning. He left the food and retreated again. How badly injured did the seeker need to be for him to still not be flying. Knockout wouldn't tell him of course, but his concern was growing. the Seeker never even left the tent if he could help it, it didn't make any sense.

Starscream only looked over once the mech was gone, taking a bowl for himself and eating a few of the gels. They were very good, something different for his tanks to digest. Starscream sat in the tent alone for most of the day, soaking up the solitude until his wings began to ache. It was worse this time. Probably a cramp from the wing twist just getting worse, but it was extremely painful. Now, Starscream was understanding why they called it wing twist and true to it's name it felt like.

He couldn't do much beyond holding his wings and softly groaning at the stress they were under, waiting and hoping they would relax by itself.

Megatron spent the majority of the day sitting just outside the tent, there if anything should happen but staying out of the seekers way. He wasn't sure how long he could keep this up for. He couldn't exactly leave the seeker unattended, both while he was injured, and more quietly, while they still weren't bonded. He'd give the seeker as long as he could, but he still wasn't happy leaving the seeker alone, and there was only so long he could put off joining the hunts. 

He returned with more food, just before dusk, carrying his own food with him, as well. Unless the seeker actually tried to order him to leave, he was sleeping in his own berth tonight.

Starscream looked up briefly as Megatron returned, ready to send the mech away but the sudden pain of his wing caused him to bury his face in the furs and hiss at the pain. He needed to fly, but even before that, he needed to preen and relax his frame. He could feel his own wings painfully scraping panels against each other.

Megatron frowned as he offered the bowl to Starscream. "It's getting worse isn't it? Can Knockout help?”

Starscream pushed the bowl away, knowing he was too distracted to have any fuel. 

"No!" he growled back before hissing out in pain, "I can handle this myself, it's fine."

Megatron reclaimed the bowl before it spilled. "It's worse than it wasn't yesterday isn't it?"

Starscream glared up at him, "what do you think? Yes it's worse!"

"What happens if it doesn't get better?"

Starscream bit his lip, eyeridges furrowing, "I don't know, I'm not a medic!"

"So I should get Knockout?"

Starscream debated on what he wanted before another painful wave of cramps in his wings. 

"No, too late, come over here."

Megatron approached a little uncertain, "What do you want me to do?"

Starscream was bent over on the ground at his point, "Just... Nmm, you need to touch the base, where it's connected to my back, that's the best place to start, massage it."

Megatron reached out, touching the base of the seeker's wings, "Here?" He started rubbing gently, "like this? more pressure? less?"

Starscream vented, wings sensitive and sore, "More pressure, otherwise I'll still have .. ah, frag, mmm cramps."

Megatron pressed harder, "like this? I'm sorry, I have no idea how hard I need to press. I figure working my way up would be safer."

Starscream's wings tensed at the pressure, "No, nn, That keep going!" He said, wings flexing before eventually they dropped a bit. The panelings felt tense still, but his main joint relaxed and he could feel the entire wing again. 

"Softer," Starscream ordered, "It relaxed enough, softer now."

Megatron shifted his touch back softer, doing his best to follow the seeker's instructions exactly as he worked his way over the panels.

Starscream gave out instructions, slowly getting Megatron to work over the basis of his wings. He wouldn't dare let the mech do a more thorough preen but this would help. 

"That's about as much as you can do," Starscream announced. 

Megatron nodded, pulling back, "is it okay if I sleep inside the tent tonight?" He probably shouldn't ask and just do it unless the seeker objected, but he did want to reach a workable relationship with the seeker.

Starscream looked at him oddly, "Yeah?" 

Megatron nodded, relaxing. He picked up his own bowl, sitting cross-legged on the ground to eat.

Starscream sat back up, finally picking up his own bowl and fueling himself. 

"The gels were good." 

"I'm glad you enjoyed them."

"Seekers don't have much sweets," he said, before correcting "didn't ... Have"

"You like sweets though? Or is there something you would prefer?"

"On occasion, but I can never eat more than two before feeling sick," he said with a shrug, "Sours were more available to us, and I like them more."

Megatron nodded, "I doubt we have many sour additives but I'll see what I can do." he finished his bowl and set it aside., "So what happened to the rest of the gels?"

Starscream glanced away, "Well, you kept leaving so I figured you didn't want them."

Megatron chuckled, "it's fine, I got them for you."

Starscream crossed his arms, "Well, then it's no issue," he stated before moving back to his eggs, stretching his wings a bit. 

"What do you even do all day anyways?"

Megatron shrugged, "Youou mean in general or since you arrived?"

"Suppose both now."

"All sorts of things, it depends on what needs doing, really. Most commonly I used to lead hunting parties, sometimes I mind Soundwave's twins, or help with the Energon extraction. More recently, any small task I can put my hands to while staying close. I think I must have sharpened every blade in the camp."

"You can't go hunting or what not now?"

Megatron shrugged, "for now I'm not."

"Why not?"

Megatron shrugged. "it would be... Irresponsible at the moment."

Starscream tilted his Helm, "Why?"

"you're still injured." he said as though that answered it.

"I'm..." Starscream stopped himself, "And? I'm not fragile?"

Megatron was quiet for a few moments. "You are my mate."

"oh..." Starscream looked at him for a moment, a little surprised. He shifted uncomfortably, turning away as he went quiet. He didn't think Megatron actually cared beyond getting him ready to make his own kin. Maybe he wasn't as brutish as he first believed. Stupid, sure, but maybe not as horrible.

"You could call Knock Out for that, couldn't you?" He asked

Megatron frowned slightly. "how would... Knock Out is our medic he has other responsibilities." he said, hoping the seeker would drop the subject.

"Not necessary to be si concerned about my injuries," Starscream tried to explain, "Other things are more important than babysitting."

Megatron shrugged, "it's not babysitting, and I'm not going to force you to see a medic if you’re just taking a while to recover."

Starscream gave a small vent, "I just don't see the point of waiting around to do that."

Megatron shrugged, "Think of it as a grounder thing."

"Which is why I don't understand the whole one mate thing, having two mates makes it easier to make sure everyone's protected."

Megatron shrugged. "Three does make it easier but the complexity increase in finding mates to begin with makes this harder especially when you consider that grounds must find mates from other tribes."

"Seems like your own issue," Starscream said with a shrug, "I don't need you to watch over me, I'm fine, as long as I'm perfectly-able to breed, then you don't have to watch me, right?"

Megatron sighed. "I think you are rather missing the point, but please I don't want to start another fight."

"But that's what I'm here for isn't it? What else would you want me here for?"

Megatron paused. "What do you mean by that? Why would I want you here just to argue?"

"Because I don't really believe I've been here to do anything else but that."

Megatron rolled his optics. "fair point, now can't I just get some sleep?"

Starscream let out a huff, "whatever." 

The seeker did not come up to join him. Starscream stayed on the ground in the pile of furs with his eggs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron and Lazerbeak spend some quality time with Starscream.
> 
> Starscream takes a leap of faith and lets Megatron give him a deep Preening.

Lazerbeak made a cheerful trill as she managed to wriggle free from Megatron's grasp and leaped from his arms. Megatron made an excellent launching platform and she managed to glide all the way to the tent flap and get inside before megatron caught her.

Megatron cradled Lazerbeak on his arms as gentle as he could be, even as she squirmed. He looked up to Starscream, "Sorry, she keeps getting away from me this morning."

Starscream looked up from his nest, seeing Megatron holding the small avian. 

"Laserbeak?" He questioned, getting up from his space on the tent and over to Megatron and Laserbeak. He softly twitched his wings in a greeting chant, a slight smile on his face as the excited sparkling repeated it back. So chant was universal to fliers. 

"Hello, soft wings," he said in Vosian, offering the babe a small chin scratch. 

Lazerbeak trilled excitedly at hearing the sounds engrained in her code, but that her carrier never seemed to make.

"Why do you have Laserbeak?" He looked up at Megatron, confused.

“Soundwave has taken his twins out with today's hunting party. He can take Lazerbeak on his compartment of course but it's easier not to, so I offered to look after her."

He frowned, "You should have told me she was here," softly scolding and holding out his hands "Give her."

"I didn't think you wanted to be disturbed, besides I didn't think you'd gotten along with soundwave, or anyone for that matter," He let Lazerbeak go and she spring excitedly at starscream field filled with the unbridled join of a sparkling, and trilling that starscream should preen her again.

Starscream rolled his optics, "Grow a pair of wings and maybe we'll get along," he said before his full attention turned to the excited sparkling, checking over her wings. 

"You need a deep preen," he stated to her, keeping Lazerbeak in his arms and sitting on the berth where he pulled out the same tools he had taken out for himself the other day. He started with a basic massage to the wings, letting her wings relax fully before he actually began cleaning out all of the little crevices of her wings.

Megatron sat, watching and not rising to starscream's provocations.

"She likes you a lot."

Starscream wiped some of the dirt that accumulated on his tool. He should really mention this to soundwave. Laserbeak would be flying soon, and she didn't need dirt in her wings while she was just learning.

"I suppose so," Starscream replied with a shrug, gently petting her wings, "but most fliers have a favorite person for preening."

Megatron nodded, "it's not surprising then I suppose, I don't think I've ever even seen half the tools you're using at the moment."

"They're for deep preening, all the deep spots of the wing, dirty build up, readjusting paneling, etc," he said, pointing to each tool, "We did it every morning before a flight, it's good for bonding."

Megatron nodded, "before you said you wouldn't want anyone else minding our sparklings, yet the reverse doesn't seem to bother you, is it because she's a flier or am I missing something?"

Starscream looked up a bit, an uneasiness in his field, "Laserbeak is flock, and as a vision, it is sort of my duty to take care of sparklings."

Megatron tilted his head slightly, "because all seekers are flock?"

"Flock keeps us comfortable, bots who you know wouldn't harm you in any way and you would do the same for them."

Megatron nodded and avoided mentioning that as far as he was concerned much of his tribe fit that description. The only reason he didn't comment was because of the local pranksters, Rumble and Frenzy.

Starscream could feel the small amount of tension in his field at the mention of it, "Flock is just different, you can turn your back onto anyone and know you're safe."

Megatron shrugged slightly, "completely safe? From what at least several hundred individuals."

"I don't know, it's just a bond you know from creation and one you look for if you don't have it," he said with a shrug, watching Laserbeak suddenly perk up from her spot, trilling a few things foreign to him till she rolled into a chant. 

He paused for a moment, squinting his optics, "How tall are you Megatron?" 

Megatron looked confused and told him, still watching the interactions between Starscream and Lazerbeak. He reconsidered the trills of a young sparkling, though the meaning was something generally only a creator would recognise until the sparklings were ready for the more generalised language pack the Decepticons used.

"Perfect, so she won't break anything," he said, getting up on the berth, "Well? Come over here, you're too tall even for me."

Megatron approached confused. "what are you talking about?"

"She wants to fly, she doesn't know how to fly, so let her just jump off of you for a bit for practice."

"... Let her jump…?" megatron stopped in front of Starscream, then nodded. After what he'd just seen, he doubted starscream would deliberately seek to hurt Lazerbeak. Besides, Starscream knew far more about flight frames than he ever could, "Okay."

"Yes, before she starts doing it by herself over a pit of spikes," he said, sarcastic but there was a real possibility. He's heard stories of over protective seekers not realizing that their bitlets would probably pick the worst practice spots if they didn't begin teaching them first.

He scooped up the avian, placing her at the top of Megatron's shoulders before ordering the mech to take a few steps back. It wouldn't be too far, an easy glide to strengthen her wings and get them used to controlling herself. 

Starscream quickly took some pillows off the berth, dropping them in various places along the path before he stood at the edge of the berth. He gave a small chant to laserbeak, and out stretched his servos for the tiny avian to come to him.

Megatron stood still and watched as Lazerbeak leaped from his shoulder and glided easily into Starscream's waiting arms. Even he could understand the smug pride in the chirps that followed.

"You already knew how to do that, didn't you?" He asked, praising Laserbeak with a few coos and a chin scratch, "But, you'll have to try to make it back up." 

Laserbeak chittered at the challenge, straightening out her wings before taking off again but, with Starscream's arm height, and her distinct lack of power to keep her left, Laserbeak simply gilded right back to Megatron's chest, but clumsily landing in his arms. She chirped with confusion, looking back between him and Starscream's amused grin, before giving a few squawks to Megatron, trying to climb her way up his shoulder.

They continued that session for almost an hour, Megatron and Starscream exchanging only a few words until Lazerbeak was too tired to continue her flight practice and instead curled up in Starscream's lap to sleep.

* * *

Starscream glanced at the entrance, taking a breath. Megatron wasn't... That bad. He could be soft, perhaps needed a few lessons in partnership, but He could make something work. 

He poked his helm out of the tent, glaring, "What are you doing?"

Megatron shrugged, "Nothing in particular, did you need something?" 

He had intended to stay outside the tent for a few more hours before bringing them both their evening meal.

"You look stupid just standing there."

"I fail to see how that matters." megatron said softly.

Starscream glared at him, "You could be doing something more useful, get inside."

Megatron avoided answering that, no doubt Starscream had a particular task in mind for him. He followed into the tent.

Starscream sat himself down on the berth, looking at Megatron expectantly, gesturing with his helm to the free space besides him, "Sit."

Megatron sat beside the seeker quietly, he wasn't going to disturb whatever it was the seeker wanted from him.

Starscream pushed to him a few of the tools he had used on laserbeak before, and hiked up his wings to get the idea to the mech he wanted a preen.

Megatron accepted the tools. He had watched Starscream preen Lazerbeak earlier in the day, with any luck he could get this right. He accepted the tools and began to work, very slowly and carefully.

Starscream sighed as Megatron worked on his wings, quietly taking in the soft workings on his servos, relaxing his wings and frame. He gave soft suggestions before he sighed. 

"You need to listen to my instructions carefully," he warned before paneling lifted up, exposing the wiring and circuitry under it, "Any wrong move can paralyze my wings."

he marvelled at the intricacies of the circuitry. The seeker was beautiful. He tried not to let himself get distracted though, he had a job to do.

Megatron nodded slightly. "Of course I'll be careful." 

Starscream's field was tight with his usual distrust. It wasn't very normal to let someone preen you like this if you didn't trust them. Even worse, that Megatron was a grounder with no clue what to do with his wings. He was doing well though in following his instructions, and clearly he was careful. He glanced at the mech every now and again, just to see his concentrated stare at his wings as he worked. His face softened a bit. 

"Stop," he ordered suddenly, flexing the panel where Megatron's servos were current at, "that spot... Right there, rub it."

Megatron paused in his work, looking at the spot Starscream was talking about, "Did you mean with my hand, or with the tool."

"Primus not with the tool, of course your servo."

Megatron nodded, "sorry," he put the tool down and switched to rubbing the spot with his servo.

Starscream softly vented at the touch, slowly becoming more and more relaxed. He hadn't been touched there in a while, and despite it not being his trinemates, Starscream still found the gesture comforting and much needed from the high amount of stress he had been under for weeks. Eventually, there was a very soft rumble coming from the mech, purring quietly at the touch

Megatron continued massaging the mech, occasionally moving away from that particular spot but always coming back to it.

Starscream soaked up the attention, wings feeling much more relaxed now. Perhaps if they kept it up, he could fly with confidence again. Though, where would he even go? The eggs needed protecting and surveillance while he was away. He glanced back at Megatron for a moment, then stared at the wall, still softly purring. 

"Seekers normally court with gifts and grand gestures," he said casually, though internally, he was suffering with embarrassment.

Megatron nodded. "Useful or pretty gifts, or both?"

Starscream scoffed, "Both I suppose, but really, what would be better? A pot or a crown jeweled with crystals?” Starscream took a moment to envision a crown just as he described on his head. "Red is my color."

Megatron chuckled. "So pretty then, and for the record a pot is better, at least, if you don't have one. A crown may be traded for a pot that's what gives it value." he smirked slightly. "a sword is better than both."

"Write poetry if you're going to be talking sappy non-sense," Starscream rolled his optics, "If you have a crown, then you needn't worry about a pot, you're already the authority."

Megatron chuckled, "Sword versus crown, which is better? Besides I thought crowns were a city thing, or do seeker's use them too?"

"No, I just know I would look good in one," Starscream said with a shrug, "Both."

"I still think crowns are stupid. It's not some shiny piece of metal that gives me authority over my tribe." he sort to change the subject, "what about food gifts?"

Starscream sighed dreamily, "Those are fine, I remember eating banquet after banquet when I was being courted."

"oh?" Megatron murmured encouragingly, continuing to massage the seeker's frame.

Starscream nodded softly, "Sweets, fuels, chips, anything I asked for or was interested in trying," He chuckled a bit to himself, "Of course, most of it I just gave away, sometimes they would write me little love letters, then Skywarp realized he had an easier time digging up gems than writing anything understandable or romantic, so eventually my nest was lined with gems and jewels..."

Starscream played with a tool Megatron wasn't using, looking at it as he spoke. "And of course they would do flight dances… Skywarp was an atrocious flier, always doing too much before he would just vanish and appear around the sky, and-ugh Thundercracker flew in such a way that if you drew lines where he flew each one would be an exact straight edge. They looked so awful, together, someone had to tell them what to do.

They flew better by my side," Starscream stated matter of factly, smirking before his mood slowly fell, field rumbling with a soft sadness. 

"They did this for me too, preen I mean," he added, sighing, "Every morning just us three."

"Yeah, and I imagine they were a lot better at it than I am right?" Megatron understood now that Starscream needed time to mourn before anything much could be built between them.

Starscream shrugged, “They knew how I liked it.”

Megatron fell silent again, trying not to think too much about how he could never measure up to what the seeker used to have.

Starscream let a silence fall between them, sometimes talking about this or that, but otherwise was feeling himself slip into a recharge cycle. 

He yawned, causing his wings to stretch out before closing up the panels completely.

"I don't need anymore," he announced, stretching once more before he gathered up the tools and began putting them away.

Megatron pulled back again letting Starscream take back the tools from his servos. He shifted back onto the berth, resting the urge to ask if the seeker was going to sleep on the floor. "Do they feel better now?"

Starscream nodded softly, "Yeah, they're better," he said, "You still need to figure out how to preen properly but this was adequate for right now." 

Starscream threw the tools into his subspace before pulling the fur back on the berth and climbing in, softly grumbling about turning off the light.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron finally finds out about the Eggs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a bit shorter. Volt decide we should be cutting it based on where the scenes fall rather than trying to get the chapters all around the same length, so expect more variance in chapter length from here on out.

Megatron lay in the dark beside Starscream, resisting the urge to pull the seeker to his chest. This was good, this was enough. He could lie beside Starscream to rest without demanding more. It didn't matter that he wanted more, what mattered was that the seeker was slowly warming to him.

Starscream looked over his shoulder, seeing Megatron on the berth and his wings obviously blocking the mech from laying down fully. He sighed exasperated, turning over so his wings hung off the berth a bit. "Better?" He asked a bit sourly.

Megatron shifted a little closer. "you normally sleep on the floor when I'm here..."

"It's my berth too, you know," Starscream snapped back, glaring at Megatron.

"That's not what I meant..." Megatron said softly, "I very much like the idea of sleeping with you in my arms, but..."

"Might want to fall into recharge faster so you can keep dreaming," Starscream snapped back, pulling the furs over himself and promptly offlined his optics with a huff.

"I meant, would you prefer it if I slept on the floor for a change, " Megatron said, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice and field.

"Why are you asking me? Like you said it's your berth as well," Starscream grumbled.

"I didn't think I had any influence on your preferences."

"Weren't you the mech who wanted to sleep in his own berth for a change?"

"And I did last cycle. What I wanted never stopped you from making your opinions known before."

"Would you like me to kick you out of berth?"

Megatron got up, "Sorry to bother you." 

He headed towards the door.

Starscream frowned as he got up, "You're a moron, Megatron," he called out after him, "I didn't say you had to leave."

"No, you said that I wouldn't listen to what you wanted anyway."

Starscream glared at him, "Why must you make everything, even sleeping, so difficult."

"Like I said, sorry, I'll let you sleep." he said, turning back to the tent flap.

Starscream sat up a bit, "Get. In. the. berth."

Megatron turned back, "and I'm the one making things difficult."

"You make everything difficult," Starscream grumbled.

"You certainly don't make it easier." Megatron said returning to the berth, "I'm trying, but I don't know what you want."

Starscream snorted at him, "Your issue, you're the one who courted me, if you even call that courting."

Megatron shrugged. "And yet it worked, and while I accept it is my problem, you would be remiss to think it didn't affect you."

Starscream let out a frustrated huff, getting out of the berth entirely, "Have the berth, dirt licker," he growled back at him, flopping near his nest and curling up.

Megatron approached Starscream instead of the berth. "It wasn't that I didn't want to share with you."

"Well, you won't have to worry about it, because I'm sleeping in my nest," he stated simply, turning his back to the mech and a few insulting flicks of his wings.

Megatron approached him, "Seeker..."

Starscream wing's twitched as he came closer, but Megatron came too close. His coding sparking something within himself.Starscream whipped around with an angry hiss, wings hiked up in a threat posture. 

"Don't come any closer to my nest," he warned.

"What is your problem? You were right next to me, less than two breems ago."

"The berth isn't the nest, this is my nest," Starscream growled back.

"What difference does it make," Megatron said, getting closer.

The seeker lurched forward, claws ready to make some damage.

Megatron caught him easily, "What is your problem?" But he could feel something in his EM field, something he hadn't expected, though he couldn't be sure with a very angry seeker in his arms. "What's in the nest?"

Starscream could feel the growing distress from the eggs, making him all the more furious, throwing his talons at the mech.

"I told you to get away from it!"

Megatron stepped back from the nest, dragging starscream with him. "What's special about the nest, Seeker?"

"Nothing, just get away from it!" Starscream repeated, swiping at his frame. His own defensive field only worsened the distress from the eggs, calling for comfort from their carrier. Starscream stopped for a moment of attacking, jerking back against Megatron's hold to try and return to the nest.

"You can't!" Starscream growled with more distress in his field

"Why? You said you weren't carrying." megatron said emphatically, but he already knew what he would find if he were to look in the pile of furs.

"I didn't say I wasn't," he said sourly back to him.

Megatron froze, realisation and horror flooding through his field. He let the seeker go again, and stepped back. "You'd already laid your eggs when I told you to leave."

Starscream fell back before scrambling back in front of his nest protectively, wings hiked high once more. 

There wasn't a point in denial or lying anymore, Megatron knew now. 

"Three days before," Starscream confirmed with a soft nod and frame tensed, ready to defend himself and his young.

"I see."

His field was rife with conflicting violent emotions but he pulled it back, and outside he at least appeared perfectly calm. "I'll leave you in peace." He headed back towards the entrance towards the tent, rather than the berth.

* * *

Megatron paced Soundwaves tent. “He was carrying, Soundwave. Primus, his eggs were in _my tent_ when he accepted the courtship. It’s not right. He doesn’t want me, he never wanted me, and I fragging forced him into it.”

“Megatron: not to blame,  
Megatron: unaware.”

“I should have been,” Megatron snapped. “I _knew_ he was nesting, and I _knew_ he hated me. Of course, he would hide his eggs from me.” 

Megatron stared down at his hands. “He expected me to fight him, to… I don’t know, take them from him?”

“Starscream: agreed to bond.”

“Because his eggs were in my tent.” Megatron snapped. “He wasn’t able to say no. He couldn’t consent properly. It’s not a valid courtship.”

“Starscream’s choice.”

“He doesn’t know anything about our culture.” Megatron snapped, “otherwise he wouldn’t have hidden the eggs.” Megatron shook his head, “No. The courtship was invalid, I’ll make sure everyone knows, they won’t bother him.” 

Soundwave nodded. “Megatron: welcome to stay in Soundwave’s tent.”

Megatron seemed to relax, but his frame still weighed with a tension on it, and despite his relief, his field was heavier with a sullen disappointment, “Thank you.”

* * *

Starscream had been surprised that Megatron had Just left. Starscream had been in a limbo of uncertainty and stress since then. 

Was Megatron going to come back and throw him out? Destroy his eggs? He wasn't sure. He had no way of knowing. Soundwave had once said he wouldn’t but he didn't trust a spark here.

Why should he? At least he was being fed, though he had tested the fuel first to ensure it wasn't poisoned. 

He stayed protectively curled over his eggs, even during his own feeding, fearful for what might happen now. 

Lazerbeak trilled excitedly as she finally made it to the tent. She pushed the flap aside with her beak and hopped inside, chirping a greeting to the waiting seeker.

Starscream's wings threw themselves up in another threat, a low hiss suddenly erupting from him as he expected another mech. He was quick to realize that the frame was much too tiny to be anything threatening, and the mech grimaced as he realized he had just threatened a sparkling. Starscream's wings lowered, chanting apologetically to the tiny avian.

Lazerbeak froze at the aggressive display, then relaxed as the seeker's wings lowered. She trilled an apology for startling him, and enquired if she might visit with him.

Starscream pauses to think over it. It wasn't like there was much to do besides wait for his fate. He lifted a wing, the sight of his nest peaking out while his servos untucked from his chassis and held out slightly as an offer to preen her.

Lazerbeak hopped across the floor to him and jumped up into the seeker's lap. She also trilled a greeting to his eggs. Starscream softly chuckled at the little flier, taking her in his arms and warming her up for a preen. 

"I haven't named them yet," He told her softly, "But if anyone is allowed near them, it'll be you, you're their flock too."

Lazerbeak trilled an excited enquiry about having new siblings soon.

"Soon, their shells are hardening now, so soon they will be able to break out," he assured her, petting her.

Lazerbeak snuggled in closer to go to sleep in seeker's lap, chirruping a note of pure love and affection. Starscream's lips pulled in a slight smile at the tiny bot, softly stroking her. 

"If I leave, I will miss you," he promised.

Soundwave poked his head into the tent, field rife with worry and anxiety that calmed almost instantly when he spotted Lazerbeak curled up in the seeker's lap. 

"Lazerbeak: return."

The small flier looked up, chirped, and then hopped across the room to transform and slip back inside her carrier's chest compartment.

Starscream was defensive once more as Soundwave came in, distrust clear in his field. At most he did a small cant goodbye to Laserbeak, before his full attention turned to soundwave's presence in his tent. He wasn't sure if Soundwave would do Megatron's dirty work or not.

Soundwave watched the seeker closely. The seeker clearly had no idea how much he'd hurt Megatron, "Lazerbeak bothering you?" He asked.

"Laserbeak is flock," Starscream stated a bit sourly, "Flock is never a bother."

Uncertainty flickered through Soundwave's field, and perhaps a hint of fear before Soundwave got control of his field. "Lazerbeak: Soundwave's sparkling."

Starscream narrowed his optics, "I'm well aware," he stated, field hostile again, "I’m not trying to kidnap her, if that's why you’re so afraid of."

Soundwave relaxed fractionally. "Good." Soundwave watched him a few moments longer before abruptly changing the subject. "Megatron: stated courtship invalid."

Starscream looked up at the mech, his hostility over taken by his surprise. 

"What-Why?"

"Courtship should have been invalid." Soundwave said perhaps a touch forcefully, annoying a constant background noise in his field.

Starscream frowned, "What does that mean for me... Us?" He asked, gesturing to the furs behind him, warming his eggs still.

"Seeker: intended to leave when sparklings were old enough.  
Decepticons: will not stop you."

Starscream looked up at the mech for a moment, blinking. So, he was free to go after all this? 

"Why?" He frowned, "At what point did he suddenly change his mind, why would this even matter to him?"

"Soundwave: does not expect seeker to understand grounder courtships."

"No, no one seems to explain anything to me, just suddenly expect me to go with it!” Starscream snapped.

"Courtship: not abduction, Intended: must have choice."

Starscream crossed his servos, "So, he finally admitted I was right? I didn't have a choice?"

Anger crackled through Soundwave's field. "Seeker will leave when sparklings old enough." He turned abruptly.

Starscream growled back at the mech, posturing threateningly, "I didn't ask for any of this," he snapped back at him.

"Seeker asked to stay." Soundwave said bluntly.

"Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same for laserbeak or any of your other sparklings. My eggs are all I have left, so you can say whatever you want but I did what was best for them and their survival."

"Soundwave: aware, Megatron: now aware."

Starscream scoffed, "Sure, blame me for playing itself safe when you're still afraid for laserbeak?" He asked him, accusingly, "Even if I said I wouldn't, as a carrier you still would feel uneasy, you don't trust me with that still, don't you?"

Starscream shook his helm, "That's how it's been, fear someone will harm them. I do not know you all. All I know is Megatron that just wants a flier to get some wings in his tribe and that's it, that's all I'm here for beyond a trophy."

"Seeker stated: Lazerbeak 'flock', Decepticons: never leave tribe member behind, Lazerbeak: only sparkling, May choose to join when fully grown, not before, Megatron: wanted bondmate."

"See, that! You all don't understand flock, not all flock has to move to stay flock," Starscream growled, "He said he wanted heirs, and the only thing he made a decision to grab me up is the pretty frame couldn't fight back, why would I want a bondmate like that? He didn't even try to court me during the entire thing."

"Soundwave: Not expect seeker to understand grounder courtship, Seeker: No longer needs to, Seeker: Will leave when sparklings old enough."

Starscream hissed back at the mech, "Fine, at least I can finally get away from you barbaric people."

Soundwave turned again to leave, not nothing to give the seeker any further response.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron and Starscream finally talk,   
> and Starscream goes flying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to avoid confusing, in this chapter the word cycle refers to a period of time about an hour long. 
> 
> Seriously we have a bad track record with time...   
> (also yes, the first two scenes start the same way)

Starscream watched for the familiar servo trying to slip in his food, and the mech's own servo shot out, grabbing the servo and moving his helm through the flap of the tent. 

He narrowed his optics, glaring at the mech, "Were talking.  **Now** .”

"What is there to talk about?" Megatron asked, his field completely withdrawn, however, he didn't try to pull away.

"Get into the tent, Megatron," Starscream sighed, pulling the mech with him as he slipped back into the tent.

Megatron entered. "Are you looking for an apology, because I  _ am _ sorry I didn't realise sooner, but in my defence you never said anything."

"Would you really have told a mech you didn't know who held you against your will for bonding?" He asked him seriously, "Especially right after telling him your original bonding pair just died and that he's mostly interested in putting wings on his heirs?"

Megatron shrugged. "We come from different backgrounds. I would have said I was bonded, and that would have been the end of it, if I wasn't interested. I’ll counter. How would you choose a bondmate if you had to choose someone you didn't know and could not have a chance to know before that first choice?"

"You still never courted me," Starscream retorted back, "That entire time you barely did a thing."

"We have been over this." Megatron said forcefully. "You. Did. Not. Want. Me. Near. You. I was respecting your wishes. Many courtships fail because the two do not get to know each other. It is common enough."

"I didn't know you, I had eggs, I was, I still am in mourning, why didn't you just wait?" Starscream asked him, "In fact, why did you keep me locked in here at all? Why would you keep any mech in your tent against their will, how is that a courting?"

"It is how grounder courtships work. At the time, I was given no reason for why it would not be valid. We keep our prospective mates close and secure because more often than not they wouldn’t stay for the courting period otherwise. Not with their own tribe slowly getting further away."

Starscream let out an exasperated sigh, "And I was supposed to know that? I didn't even live on the same side of the rust sea as you all, how did you expect me to be receptive of anything, especially when you made it really clear the only thing you were really interested in was getting some seeker CNA into the tribe. Breeding isn't the point of bonding, why do you think seeker courtings are so long? To prove you want and adore your trinemates!"

Megatron shrugged again. "You were on this side of the rust sea. It doesn't matter, it's over now, besides you didn't answer the question, how would you choose or would you be like Soundwave and simply not choose?"

"I flew across the damn sea, remember?" Starscream snapped, "You're an aft and a moron Megatron, what are you not getting about what I'm saying?"

"Which part of it doesn't matter are you not getting? Both Knockout and Soundwave informed me that you intended to leave after they hatched in any case. Probably better I found it before that, all things considered."

"That was before I decided you were allowed to properly court me aft-hole!" Starscream shrieked back at the mech.

Megatron froze, confusion flooded his field, "What..." 

"I told you how to court me. Then you had to kick up a big stink cause somebody wanted to cuddle, and I already let you see circuitry, what more do you want from me? I already did that much."

"I just wanted you to tell me if you wanted me there, or if you were just putting up with me because you were sick of sleeping on the floor, because that's been our entire relationship hasn't it? You’re putting up with me because you needed something. I could see how badly your wings were hurting you."

"Sure, why lie now? I wanted my sparklings to survive, but do you really think I would show my back, my wings to just anyone?" He asked, "It irritates me to no end that you keep expecting me to jump right into trusting you when you haven't earned it, even letting you preen was well beyond a risk."

"What? So because you don't trust me, you can't tell me what you want, because, what, I might use that against you. What does it matter, I never find out what you want and am left constantly guessing."

"I've been telling you what I want since I've stayed. I've complained all the time about your stupid traditions so you could at least make me feel less like I'm trapped her and more like I'm courted," Starscream growled, crossing his arms, "You don't fragging get me, my trine didn't take forever figuring it out, they knew me."

"Are you even listening to me? I ask you a direct question and you throw a hissy fit."

"Because you ask stupid fucking questions. When was I supposed to trust you? At what point of any of this slag did you do anything for me to trust you that I didn't have to risk my own sake to try and trust you?"

"Whatever you say."

"You don't listen, and you don't even care to ask me slag, always bossing me around when you feel so entitled since the moment I ever saw your ugly face," He growled back, "What was the point of all of it, Meagtron, if you didn't care how i felt or what i wanted before, why are you even bothering now?"

"I'm not. You're the one who dragged me in here."

"Soundwave had to inform me of the invalidation cause you didn't even have the ball bearings to speak to me. You left me for days not knowing what was going to happen to me or my eggs, so honestly Megatron, at least speak to me about your plan with all this slag."

"What plan? I don't have a plan anymore, you’re the one with the plan."

Starscream sputtered, growing more frustrated and angry, "Plan? What plan? I've been terrified for the past few days cause all i know is that i have a limited time to figure out where im going to go and how im going to protect and feed three sparklings and myself on a side of the planet I’ve never been to with no flock to speak of, and now barely any flight capabilities, frankly Megatron, i've been so fucking scared since i've woke up here I can barely think straight most days. Please just fragging inform me what in the pits is going on right now."

Megatron signed exasperatedly. "Will you at least do the decency of telling me the truth for the duration of this explanation."

"I have nothing else at this point, sure."

"You told Soundwave you intended to leave after they hatched. Yet, for -now- obvious reasons, you refused to leave when the two weeks were over. Was the only reason you stayed with me was for the sparklings?"

Starscream had to physically suck in a vent to hold in the excuse to cover up his own tail.

"Yes. If I wasn't sparked,I would have left then, even before the two weeks, but i stayed because I was injured and starving, so I stayed for the sake of giving the sparklings a chance"

"Then the courtship should have been invalid from the start. The others might have argued, but I know now. It is both wrong to force you to stay, and wrong to not allow a nesting carrier time to ensure the safety of their sparklings. You are free to stay as long as you require and leave when you wish."

Starscream looked down briefly in thought for a moment, "No one will touch my nest?"

"No one will even enter this tent without your permission."

Starscream was silent for a moment, "... that sounds fair."

"If that was all?" Megatron stood. "I have places I need to be."

Starscream stayed silent, but eventually nodded his helm, replying politely, "I don't wish to waste any more of your time, Lord Megatron."

* * *

Starscream was waiting for the familiar servo trying to slip in his food -again-, snatching Megatron’s servo and moving his helm through the flap of the tent. 

"Yes, Starscream?" Megatron said, a little exasperated and entering the tent, "I haven't given you my com code, have I? That would probably make this a lot easier."

Starscream scowled at the mech, "You've made communication incredibly difficult before, so I do not trust you yet not to run away," he stated, optics darting from side to side. 

"You said that I had a right to ensure the safety of my sparklings, is that correct?"

Megatron shrugged, "More or less, it's more along the lines that we are obliged to offer aid. We don't have to, but it would be wrong not to."

Starscream gave a nod, "Then stand here."

Megatron looked uncertain. "Why?" he asked, moving to the spot.

"Because, you said I had a right to ensure the safety of my eggs, you're obliged to offer aid, so stand here and make sure to provide it," he informed him, stepping out of the tent now for what seemed like the first time in weeks. 

"You can do that much, can't you?"

"Wait, How long are you going for." Megatron said, torn between the commitments he already had and the desire to help the seeker, especially since he was finally asking for it.

"Does it matter, I'm requesting you to do this," Starscream asked, a small shake of his wings with some nervousness. As much as he hated being here, he at least wanted to be able to fly again, and wanted Megatron to allow him the freedom to.

"Well, since I was supposed to be taking the twins hunting, Yeah, it matters,” Megatron vented, “Look, if you want to take your time, just give me a chance to let Soundwave know. Is it okay if I look after Laserbeak at the same time?"

Starscream blinked, "Okay..." He turned to leave but stopped, looking at him, "When did..How long ago did you plan to do that with the twins? Or... Can't soundwave just cassette carry?"

"Soundwave can, if you would prefer Lazerbeak not stay with me, but I would still need to let Soundwave know that he'll need to take the twins hunting today."

Starscream looked at him, "Why do you have to do it?"

"I don't. Otherwise I wouldn't even be able to stay here instead," Megatron said, puzzlement in his field.

"No I meant... You’re not their sire, are you?"

"No, of course not! I don’t even know who their sire is. I can't even guess at frame type since they both take after their carrier."

Starscream looked at him, "Can I have a cycle to fly?"

Megatron sighed, "Yes, but tell me, how long do you want"

"I want the cycle," Starscream said more strongly

Megatron nodded, "okay," He fell silent, obviously speaking on an internal com. 

"I let Soundwave know I'll take them out this afternoon. Just try not to be more than two cycles, or you're likely to have very annoyed younglings on your hands."

Starscream gave a swift nod, "Then two cycles." He said turning and taking a few steps away from the tent. He stopped, glancing back with a nervous flick of his wings. He took another moment to get up the courage to take a jump into his transformation, jetting off high into the sky. He circled around the camp, both nervous to actually leave, but slowly he was building himself a good layout of the place he had been forced to live in. The seeker leveled out, finally decided to head into a South eastern direction before speeding up, the air narrowing around his nozzle and puncturing through the sound barrier, flying as hard and as fast as he could before he would have to return. 

Megatron stayed, not on the nest itself, but beside it, close enough that he could field the egg's inquisitive fields.

* * *

Starscream was very exact in his timing, landing a few feet away, venting heavily but his posture suggested the seeker to be much more relaxed and content. His frame hadn't felt this light in ages, and finally the tension in his wings had fallen off the first hundred miles. 

He approached Megatron, giving him a slight nod, "You're relieved of your obligations with me today."

Megatron nodded slightly, noting that the seeker had gotten as close to he could with the two cycle limit he'd set. 

"Did you want longer?" he couldn't really swap out on the twins now, but it was obvious the seeker did, “When will you want to go flying next?"

"No, we said a maximum of two cycles for today," Starscream said with a shake of his helm, moving to go back into his tent, "Tomorrow, I want to fly tomorrow.... can you assist?"

Megatron nodded, "Will it be acceptable for me to look after Lazerbeak at the same time?"

Starscream looked up, "So long as it won't distract you.”

"It won't." megatron said easily.

Starscream was about to retreat into his tent before stopping, "Laserbeak... is allowed inside the nest as well, no one else." Starscream gave him a nod, "I will return to my nest now, good night Megatron."

"until tomorrow," megatron said, heading back out of the tent. He had a pair of younglings to take hunting.

Starscream had pulled himself back a little, inside the tent, but curious. His digit pulling back a small bit of tent to watch Megatron retreat to Soundwave's tent to gather up the rowdy duo. They were familiar, and in all fairness, Megatron was good to those two despite the way they babbled or even tried to climb Megatron. Starscream glanced at his own eggs, tempted to imagine but it was much too early to be thinking such a thing. He went back to his nest, relaying to his egg of his day and how wonderful it felt to fly again. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so I've updated the tags to include implied incest. Regretably this is going to be a continuing plot point for the rest of the fic. Basically in the plains tribes they use what would be best descibed as moiety groups, rather than any kind of incest taboo. 
> 
> I do not pretend to be any kind of expert on Moiety groups, and the representation of them in this work of fiction is not intended as a reflection of their real world counter parts, nor do I mean to imply that the characters as presented here have anything to do with the real world cultures that use moiety groups. For those who are curious: moiety groups are most common in Australian Aboriginals and among the indigenous peoples of North America.   
> For fictional usages they also appear in "Mountain Ways" a Short story by Ursula K. Le Guin and probably a bunch of other places.
> 
> long breath, moving on from my disclaimer, I like the idea of moiety groups, they're fun to play with especally in this setting.  
> For our characters here, All this means is that it is taboo for two mecha born of the same tribe to be in a relationship. (Starscream is not a part of this culture and does not understand it.) Starscream implies that there might be something romantic between Megaton and Soundwave... and... well... If playing around these themes is something you want to avoid I suggest you stop reading now.

Starscream’s usual first hours were like the ones he had taken before, simply choosing a direction and following it down, calculating out his flight before flying back. Today he had turned back, but despite being above the camp again he hadn't the need to land just yet, and settled for a cycle of doing tricks out above the campground.

Once he had gotten bored of that Starscream finally decided he would test how far he could go before he felt the need to return. The jet had taken off to the north, thrusters burning but relaxed, no longer in need of trying to throw out his energy anymore. He could just enjoy the peaceful solidarity in the air. 

It felt good. He didn't have the need to think about anything but flying.

The seeker arrived back at the camp just a few hours after the sunset, landing quietly and acknowledging Megatron, who sat fiddling with something string-like in his hands while Lazerbeak dozed peacefully in the nest.

"You should hunt north within a day or so, there's a herd of mechanimals coming in." 

Megatron looked up, surprised. "Thank you? Should I take a party out or would you prefer me to find someone else to lead a group?"

"How small is the prey you have been hunting with Soundwave's creations?" he asked, messing with a rope at the flap of the tent. "It would be better to show them bigger prey, and you should be there, they enjoy your company."

"I'll make sure to include them in the group. We'll go early, the day after tomorrow I think, unless they were already close? There's a water spot north of here they are probably heading to."

"No, give it the day... I had a tailwind, so I was a lot further than you think," He said, pausing, "No, further than that, there were mountains that way."

"Oh quite a way, then. Worth travelling out if you know there's going to be game, though. It's a shame we can't bring you with the hunting party."

"Hmm, maybe not, Megatron, you'd severely lose the best hunter title."

Megatron chuckled. "It doesn't matter who the best is, what matters is that the best is out there hunting."

"The best is busy trying to get three eggs to hatch. How long did Soundwave's eggs incubate for?"

Megatron looked up in thought. "Ravage — Soundwave's oldest — took about five weeks. The twins were about the same, and Lazerbeak was far closer to three weeks. We were all surprised she hatched so soon.”

"Laserbeak is tiny though, how long would it have taken for her to form?" Starscream mused for a moment. He crossed his arms and frowned, "They've taken longer than all of them though... Shouldn't they have... At least moved by now?"

Megatron shrugged. "Eggs take as long as they take, how do their fields feel?"

"Strong actually," Starscream added, reaching out with his own field to acknowledge the eggs calling out for him, calming their panic. "They seemed worried beforehand, but now they seem better."

"That's okay then, you only need to worry if their fields are getting weaker, that means they are starving in their shells. Sometimes sparklings are just shy."

"I don't think my sparklings would be shy, " he said with a huff, still frowning, "Maybe they're already giant afts already, Skywarp and Thundercracker were both giant pains in the afts... but what if i did something wrong? I was starving when their eggs were forming... I did something wrong, didn't I?" The seeker began to pace, wringing his servos together in his growing anxiety.

"I can get Knockout to check them if you trust him, but if their fields are fine I'm sure they are too. Sometimes eggs just take longer to hatch. Breakdown took almost two months. I'm sure your eggs are fine."

"No, Knockout has loose lips apparently... two pairs of loose lips if I remember who Breakdown is."

"He only confirmed after Soundwave already said it. No one but the two of them knew you were sparked until I brought it up."

"Who knew? The bot with no mouth purges out secrets," Starscream said sourly, "You two get along quite well, why not bond with Soundwave? You practically raise his sparklings with him.” 

"What? No!" There was a tide of disgust in Megatron's field, not quite masking the ripple of desire. "We're from the same tribe, we can't bond. we grew up together."

Starscream stared at him for a moment, "Hmm, you're not good at lying, are you?" he said, tilting his helm, finally sitting down at the entrance of the tent. "You weren't nested together, were you?"

Megatron rolled his eyes. "We are from the same tribe.” 

"But you don't share the same CNA right?" Starscream asked him, "He goes out, gets rammed by a few passer bys, comes back, and you conveniently help out with raising them, kind of sounds like you both found a loophole here."

Megatron shrunk back. "What would you know, seeker?"

"A lot if you just ask me," Starscream said with a smirk, "and it's  _ Starscream _ by the way."

He relaxed where he sat, satisfied with himself, "But again, you're not related, so there isn't an issue."

"We are from the same tribe," Megatron growled out, "What part of that do you not understand? We are not lovers, we are not partners. We are friends. I help with his sparklings because I can and he would help with mine if I needed him to. So long as my bonded was okay with it." He said with a touch of sarcasm. 

Starscream gave a slight raise of his eye ridges at the outburst, softly giving back mhmms, "Right, I don't understand because I don't come from the same tribe as you," Starscream informed him, "You could trine with anyone in the flock so long as they were not related to you."

"No, you don't understand.” Megatron said flatly. “Soundwave and I aren't like that, and I'd rather you didn't imply otherwise."

Starscream hummed again, "Well then, Soundwave seems like a good friend, he is very protective of you."

Megatron glared at him. "So what? he can't care because we're from the same tribe?"

Starscream looked a bit amused, "I don't see you and any other mech being as platonically intimate in each other's life as you two are."

"Most of the other adults in our clan are bonded, they don't need as much help as Soundwave does, or don't have the space for another in their tent."

"That sounds like a truthful statement, at least," Starscream commented. "Well, I commend you for stepping up to help him."

Megatron glared. "I would do the same for any in our tribe."

Starscream chuckled. "Okay, you totally don’t like him or enjoy filling in as a sire figure for his sparklings or probably sleeping with him in his tent, I get it. Just friends you two...But he does care for you, immensely."

"What the frag is your point," Megatron said, annoyance rolling through his field.

"I just heard a few things around the camp," Starscream said with a shrug, "and despite how hilarious this all is, after all that happened before, maybe you just needed to know someone does."

Megatron glared. "I know thank you very much. I've known Soundwave a lot longer than you have. I know I can rely on him, just like he relies on me."

"Then why did you need anyone else?"

"What. The. Frag. Were you even paying attention to the first half of this conversation? WE. ARE NOT. TOGETHER."

Starscream touched his chassis, faking offence, "When did I say that? I'm just saying, if you were satisfied with that friendship, then why do you need more?"

"Maybe I want a bonded and my own family. What fragging business of yours is it anyway?"

"Kind of seemed like you had it," he said, putting his hands up in surrender.

Megatron glared. "In any case, thank you for the information about heard movements, I should get going." He very carefully scooped Laserbeak up and stood.

Starscream nodded. "Just giving back a little, for the tribe.”


End file.
